How Often Should I Update My Vision Board?
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The first time I ever created a vision board, I was dating an amazing guy that I hoped one day would become my husband. (That's not saying much for me, I'm actually a huge romantic and hope EVERYONE will be my husband :)
I created my vision board with all of my goals on it and right in the middle of my vision board, I had pictures of a beautiful wedding dress and sparkling ring. I was sure that after all my years of bad dating, I'd landed a good one and this would be my year.
So I manifested it on my vision board.
About half way through the year, I found myself super single and replacing that beautiful dress on my vision board with more "goal-getter" quotes. (Because if I couldn't get my dream man, I was surely going to create my dream life anyway.)
I knew it was time to update my vision board - my future was different now. There was no man in my life to hope for a future with.
Sometimes the need to change a vision board is not so simple to identify.
Maybe you put a large goal on your vision board, but you don’t think you’ll really be able to accomplish it so you want to take that goal off your board because of FEAR.
It’s possible that you set a goal that will take several years to achieve so you want to take the goal off your vision board due to UNCERTAINTY.
In these cases, it could be easier to set a smaller, easier to attain goal so your vision board feels do-able. However, removing your goals in these cases will push you from dreaming big and into thinking small.
So when should you think about making a change to your vision board? Here are the three ways that I’ve come up with:
Your Future is Fundamentally Different
This is when something changes in your life and there is no way that goal you envisioned is going to happen.
In my earlier story, I knew there was no way I was getting engaged that year so it was clearly time to take the wedding dress off my vision board. Maybe you set goals to grow in your community and you end up moving across the country to a new place. Maybe you planned on becoming a sommelier (a wine expert) and then found out that you’re pregnant.
These are just a few examples of life changes that happen that mean it’s really time to alter your vision for your near future.
You gain clarity
During the same year I realized my relationship wasn’t working, I also decided to go back to school.
Pursuing my education was not something I planned on. In fact, I never really knew what to do with my professional life. I was attending a conference and by chance I met the owners of a small data startup that changed my life. They taught me how to take my general marketing knowledge and apply it in different ways that would skyrocket my value in the professional world.
It was like my whole world opened up and I finally could see where I needed to take my career.
When you get a huge sign of clarity on where to take your life, it’s your job to listen to that inner voice. Don’t feel guilty about removing the things that no longer serve you from your vision.
The person you are today doesn’t owe your past an explanation. Clarity is a great reason to change your vision board.
You're Inspired to Pick up a new hobby
There are times in your life where you decide to get off the couch, stop watching Netflix and instead spend that time doing something valuable. This would be something that you didn't see coming.
Earlier this year, my daughter went to her dad's house and I experienced my first full month without my child. Before she left, I thought I would enjoy that time and be more productive than ever. Instead, I felt very unsure of myself and realized that without my daughter I didn't really know who I was.
I didn't have a value system set up to prioritize things without her. I was lost.
That summer, I decided to do the things I've always wanted to do and picked up singing as a hobby. I always wanted to sing professionally and I made the decision to start working towards it, even if it’s in small increments.
The decision to do something for you is always a good thing.
Your vision board is meant to manifest the dreams you have for your life. If your life has fundamentally changed in some way, feel confident removing the things that don't work to make space for the things you really want.
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